The santur is a hammer dulcimer, closely related to the qanun. It is in the form of a shallow, regular trapezoidal box. There are several sound posts inside the box, and two small rosettes on the top panel which help to amplify the sound. The santur has 72 strings, arranged in groups of four; each four closely spaced strings are tuned to the same pitch. Each group of four strings is supported by a small, movable, wooden bridge; and the bridges are positioned to give the instrument a range of three octaves.

In secular performances, the Iraqi maqam is accompanied by an ensemble consisting of the santur , the joza , tablah and daff (or riqq), and the naqqara, a double kettle drum.

Transmitted to Europe in the Middle Ages via Turkey, the Balkans and the Andalus, it is still a popular instrument in Bulgaria, Hungary and Rumania.

References:
al-hakawati http://al-hakawati.net/Art/ArtDetails/56/السنطور,
http://www.duke.edu/~azomorod/santur.html,
The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. Second edition, 2001. v 16, pp157-159